Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

Employment: North East

lord touhig: To ask Her Majesty's Government what action they are taking, in line with their commitment to level up regional inequality, to address the statistic set out in the report by City and Guilds GroupMissing Millions, published in February, that 21 per cent of people in the North East felt positive about job opportunities in their area compared with 45 per cent of people in London.

lord callanan: This Government is committed to levelling up the country by creating opportunities outside of London. Of the £3.4 billion invested in Growth Deals across the Northern Powerhouse, £505 million has been awarded to the North East and Tees Valley Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) areas. The most recent report released by the North East LEP highlighted that jobs in the area have increased by 74,000 since 2014, which represents strong progress towards their target of 100,000 new jobs by 2024.

Hygiene

viscount waverley: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether there are shortages of hygiene gel distributed to retail outlets; and if so, what is the reason and what measures are being taken to resolve those shortages.

lord callanan: The UK is well prepared for this type of outbreak; we are taking all necessary precautions to protect the public, including engaging with industry and the business community to discuss their preparedness planning. The Government recognises that there has been increased demand on a number of products, including hygiene gel. These shortages are caused by increased consumer demand, rather than supply chain disruption. Retailers are working with suppliers to increase stock and reassure consumers there is no need to buy higher quantities than usual. We will work with local authorities to extend the hours that deliveries can be made to supermarkets and other food retailers to help the industry respond to COVID-19. The new measures mean retailers can increase the frequency of deliveries to their stores and move stock more quickly from warehouses across the country to replenish their shelves.

Foreign and Commonwealth Office

China: Prisoners

lord alton of liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the answer by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon on 2 March (HL Deb, col 390), what steps they are taking to ensure that companies registered in the UK are not contributing to forced organ harvesting in China.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: We encourage UK businesses to conduct appropriate due diligence to satisfy themselves that their activities do not support, or risk being seen to be supporting, any human rights violations or abuses. The Government's position remains that, if true, the practice of systematic, state-sponsored organ harvesting would constitute a gross violation of human rights.

Dictatorships

lord alton of liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of any correlation between (1) dictatorships and public health, and (2) the suppression of information, reporting and whistle-blowers and the spread of COVID-19; and what plans they have to assess how they engage with authoritarian regimes as part of their Integrated Review of Security, Defence, Development and Foreign Policy.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: Diseases are global threats and require an international response. The UK's support helps the most vulnerable across the globe, no matter which country they live in. We continue to encourage all countries to follow WHO guidelines to enable the international community to understand the trajectory of COVID-19 and to counter misinformation which could damage the public's health. The Integrated Review will include a reassessment of how we work with international partners and organisations to promote the UK's interests around the world.

Saleem Masih

lord alton of liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the government of Pakistan about reports that Saleem Masih was tortured and killed after being accused of polluting a tube well he had bathed in due to his Christianity on 22 February.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: We are aware of the case of Saleem Masih and the concerning reports surrounding his death. We remain deeply concerned about reports of discrimination against the Christian community and other religious minorities in Pakistan. The former Foreign Secretary discussed the treatment of minority religious communities with Pakistan's Foreign Minister Qureshi during his visit to the UK in June 2019. I raised our concerns about Freedom of Religion or Belief and the protection of minority religious communities in a letter to Pakistan's Human Rights Minister, Dr Shireen Mazari, on 27 February.

China: Uighurs

lord alton of liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of reports that the government of China transferred Uighurs from detention centres to work in factories where products are produced for global brands; and what plans they have to take action against such companies under the provisions of the Modern Slavery Act 2015.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: Recent reports indicating that Uyghurs are being used as a source of forced labour add to the growing body of evidence about the disturbing situation that Uyghurs and other minorities are facing in Xinjiang. Section 54 of the Modern Slavery Act 2015 requires companies operating in the UK with a turnover of £36m or more to publish annual statements setting out what steps they have taken to prevent modern slavery in their organisation and supply chains. The Home Office keeps compliance under active review.

Hong Kong: Demonstrations

lord alton of liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the briefing by Amnesty International Missing truth, missing justice, published on 5 March, whichcalls for an independent investigation into police violence during the Hong Kong protests and states that such an investigation "is essential to preventing unrest from reigniting in the city and rebuilding public trust".

lord ahmad of wimbledon: We have not at this stage made an assessment of the briefing by Amnesty International 'Missing truth, Missing Justice', published on 5 March.However we continue to believe that it is crucial that confidence in police accountability in Hong Kong is rebuilt - a point the UK made clear in our item 2 national statement at the UN Human Rights Council on 27 February.A robust, credible and independent investigation into events in Hong Kong would be an important step in healing divisions and rebuilding trust that will support the process of dialogue and resolution.

Iran: Demonstrations

baroness cox: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to reports that security forces killed protesters and bystanders in Iran between 15 and 18 November 2019, what representations they have made to the UN Human Rights Council to dispatch a fact-finding mission to that country.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: We are aware of reports of violence used against protesters nationwide in Iran between 15-18 November 2019. We unreservedly support the right to peaceful protest and call on Iran to uphold its commitments under international law to protect freedom of assembly and speech. The UK regularly raises human rights with the Iranian authorities at all levels and we continue to take action with the international community to press Iran to improve its poor record on all human rights issues, including recently raising at the UN Human Rights Council in March this year. We agree with the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights' call for a transparent investigation to occur, and we believe it must be credible. We continue to urge Iran to allow the independent UN Special Rapporteur on the Situation of Human Rights in Iran access to the country, so that he can carry out his mandate, which includes monitoring and investigating any human rights violations.

Iran: Demonstrations

baroness cox: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the government of Iran about the killing of protesters and bystanders by security forces between 15 and 18 November 2019.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: We are aware of reports of violence used against protesters nationwide in Iran between 15-18 November 2019. We unreservedly support the right to peaceful protest and call on Iran to uphold its commitments under international law to protect freedom of assembly and speech. The UK regularly raises human rights with the Iranian authorities at all levels and has made clear our concerns about the protests of 15-18 November. We continue to take action with the international community to press Iran to improve its poor record on all human rights issues, including most recently at the UN Human Rights Council in March this year.

Iran: Demonstrations

baroness cox: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the government of Iran about recent reports of (1) protests being violently repressed, and (2) arbitrary detention and treatment of those arrested during protests.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: We are aware of reports of violence used against protesters in Iran. We unreservedly support the right to peaceful protest and call on Iran to uphold its commitments under international law to protect freedom of assembly and speech, and treat all detainees in line with international standards. The UK regularly raises human rights with the Iranian authorities at all levels and we continue to take action with the international community to press Iran to improve its poor record on all human rights issues, including most recently at the UN Human Rights Council in March this year.

China: Prisoners

lord hunt of kings heath: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the World Health Organisation to set out the full reasons why it believes that the government of China has an ethical voluntary organ transplant system in place.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: We consult and share assessments with the World Health Organisation (WHO) on a range of issues, including on allegations of forced organ harvesting. We will continue to consult the WHO on its assessment of the organ transplant system in China.

China: Prisoners

lord hunt of kings heath: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they plan to make to the World Health Organisation to review its stance on the the government of China's organ transplant system following the China Tribunal's findings that that government's forced organ harvesting constitutes a crime against humanity.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: We are carefully reviewing the allegations in the recently released China Tribunal report. The Government's position remains that, if true, allegations of forced organ harvesting would constitute a gross violation of human rights. We take such allegations seriously and will continue to consult with the World Health Organization and international partners on this matter.

Iran: Palestinian Islamic Jihad

lord polak: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the government of Iran's support for the Palestinian Islamic Jihad group, which fired missiles into Israel in February.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: We remain deeply concerned by Iran's support to a number of militant and proscribed groups in the region, including Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ). This support directly undermines prospects for regional security and lasting peace in the region. The UK notes with concern the recent escalation in Gaza, including indiscriminate rocket fire which places civilians at risk. Any attacks targeted against civilians are unlawful and unjustifiable. We call on all sides to maintain calm. We have been clear about the dangers of further escalation. A regional conflict is in no one's interest. We will continue to work with international partners to support stability in the region.

Iran: Palestinian Islamic Jihad

lord polak: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they have taken to ensure that the government of Iran's support for the Palestinian Islamic Jihad group does not jeopardise negotiations for a permanent peace between Israel and Hamas.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: We remain deeply concerned by Iran's support to a number of militant and proscribed groups in the region, including Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ). This support directly undermines prospects for regional security and lasting peace in the region. Longer term, we encourage relevant parties to put forward sustainable proposals to resolve the threat posed to Israel's security by Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad and other militants in Gaza. Misrule is leading to dreadful consequences for the people of Gaza and also of Israel. The perpetual cycle of violence does not serve anyone's interests, and must end.

Israeli Settlements: Arson

baroness tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of reports by Tag Meir that 46 mosques and 12 churches have been subject to arson attacks by settlers in the West Bank and Israel in the last 10 years.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: Whilst we have not made a specific assessment of this report, we condemn all forms of violence by settlers including against places of worship.

Syria: Water Treatment

lord hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the government of Turkey about the reported closure of the water treatment facility at Alok in north east Syria by the Turkish Armed Forces.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: Department for International Development officials raised the need to protect water supply in Syria, including the Alok facility, with the Government of Turkey during Operation Peace Spring in October 2019. After some disruption to the water supply recently, we understand that the facility has now been re-opened. The British Government continues to support UN and INGO partners to help those in need in north east Syria.

India: Fraud

the marquess of lothian: To ask Her Majesty's Government when they last discussed with the government of India plans to address call centre scammersbased in India.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: The Government takes fraud very seriously and is committed to combating it. We recognise victims can suffer both serious financial and emotional harm.The City of London Police, the lead force for Tackling Economic Crime, has partnered with law enforcement and industry to combat call centre fraud from India and other jurisdictions. In partnership with the National Crime Agency the City of London Police have sought to align the interests of the United Kingdom with those of the United States, Canada and a number of European Countries.Individual cases are an operational matter for the police and the Government of India. The UK authorities work with their Indian counterparts on a case-by-case basis to target fraudsters responsible for duping members of the public and businesses.

UN Support Mission in Libya

the marquess of lothian: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the resignation of Ghassan Salamé, the UN Special Representative and Head of the United Nations Support Mission in Libya, and of the impact of that resignation on the prospects for a ceasefire in Libya.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: The UK was saddened to hear that the UN Special Representative for Libya, Ghassan Salamé, resigned for health reasons. We thank him for his tireless efforts to bring peace and stability to Libya. The UK continues to support the UN's work to secure a lasting ceasefire and facilitate a Libyan-led and Libyan-owned political process, as set out in UN Security Council Resolution 2510, drafted by the UK. We will continue to work closely with UNSMIL following Salamé's departure to maintain the momentum of political and military talks. We look forward to working with his successor, once appointed.

India: Religious Freedom

baroness tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of violence towards Muslims in India by Hindu Nationalists supported by the Delhi police.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: The British High Commission in New Delhi and our network of Deputy High Commissions across India are closely monitoring the situation in Delhi and other regions. The death of one protester is one too many. India's strength, like that of the UK, is in its diversity and we trust the Indian Government will address the concerns of people of all religions.The UK has long regarded protest as a key part of democratic society. Democratic governments must have the power to enforce law and order when a protest crosses the line into illegality; yet must in turn act with restraint and proportionality. Any allegation of human rights abuses is deeply concerning and must be investigated thoroughly, promptly, and transparently.

West Bank: Press Freedom

lord turnberg: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the number of journalists currently held without trial by the Palestinian Authority in the West Bank.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: We do not hold this information. The British Government is committed to the promotion of media freedom and the protection of journalists, as an essential element of democracy and an important attribute of human rights. The UK supports calls for greater media freedoms in the Occupied Palestinian Territories. We continue to reiterate the importance of a free and open press, and freedom of expression to the Palestinian Authority (PA). Officials from our Consulate-General in Jerusalem regularly raise the issue of freedom of expression, including the revision of relevant legislation, with the Palestinian Authority. We welcome Palestinian Prime Minister Shtayyeh's comments committing to freedom of press and expression, and policies and legislation that will protect journalists. We continue to urge the PA to respect human rights, ensure complaints of mistreatment or arbitrary detention are properly investigated and to continue to improve the performance of the security sector.

Libya: Arms Trade

lord wallace of saltaire: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they are confident that the supply of weapons by Gulf states to Libyan forces loyal to Khalifa Haftar do not include transfers from supplies originally sourced from the UK.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: All licence applications are assessed against the Consolidated EU and National Arms Export Licensing Criteria, which includes Criterion One concerning the United Kingdom's international obligations to enforce certain arms embargoes, and Criterion Seven concerning the risk of equipment's diversion to an undesirable end-user or end-use. The Government can and does respond flexibly to changing or fluid international situations and is able suspend or revoke licences as necessary when circumstances require.

Religious Freedom

baroness whitaker: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the consistency with which the term “freedom of religion or belief” is used in their publications instead of “religious freedom”; and what steps they will take to ensure that only the term “freedom of religion or belief” is used.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: The United Kingdom is committed to defending freedom of thought, conscience, religion or belief as set out in international law. We attach great importance to referring to 'Freedom of Religion or Belief' in publications, as we assess this best captures the freedom to have a faith, belief, or no belief at all. On occasion, the British Government has referred to 'religious freedom' as a short-hand, but we strive to ensure that 'Freedom of Religion or Belief' is referred as often as practicable, particularly in formal publications.

Attorney General

Rape: Trials

lord morris of aberavon: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the report by HM Crown Prosecution Service Inspectorate2019 rape inspection, published in December 2019, in how many rape cases the defence given by the defendant was that the complainant consented to sexual activity; in how many such cases the defendant was acquitted; and in how many rape cases a defendant who gave a different defence was acquitted.

lord keen of elie: The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) does not maintain a central record of defences relied on by defendants at trial. This information could only be obtained by an examination of CPS case files, which would incur disproportionate cost. Rape and serious sexual offences are horrific crimes, which can have a significant and profound impact on victims. The CPS is a partner in the ongoing cross-Government review of the criminal justice response to rape, and is committed to addressing any issues the review highlights openly and honestly. Together with the police, the CPS is already developing a joint action plan, which will address issues raised in the recently published HMCPSI Rape Inspection 2019 report and – in due course – findings of the cross-Government review.

Department of Health and Social Care

Mental Health: Children

lord beecham: To ask Her Majesty's Government whatsteps they are taking to address mental health problemsaffectingchildren, following the increase in the number of children under 11 contacting Childline because of suicidal thoughts and feelings since 2015–16.

lord bethell: We are taking action to protect the mental health of all children and young people. Following on from our Green Paper on transforming children and young people’s mental health, we are:- incentivising every school or college to identify and train a Senior Lead for Mental Health;- creating new mental health support teams in and near schools and colleges; and- piloting a four-week waiting time to allow swifter access to specialist NHS services for those children and young people who need them.The Green Paper has the potential to significantly improve early intervention and prevention, along with expanding the current children and young people’s mental health workforce.

Coronavirus: Disease Control

lord taylor of warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of whether shaking hands could contribute to the spread of COVID-19.

lord bethell: The most effective way of avoiding spreading the virus is to avoid close contact with infected persons and to practice good hand and respiratory hygiene, by washing hands frequently and using a tissue when coughing or sneezing.

NHS: Negligence

lord hunt of kings heath: To ask Her Majesty's Government, pursuant to section 2(4) of the Law Reform (Personal Injuries) Act 1948, how much was paid in damages for clinical negligence claims by both (1) settlement,and (2) judgment award, above what would have been paid in accordance with common law negligence principles of compensation in the last three years for which the information is available.

lord bethell: NHS Resolution handles clinical negligence claims on behalf of National Health Service organisations and independent sector providers of NHS care in England.NHS Resolution does not hold the information requested and does not make estimates of how much the additional costs of section 2(4) are when settling the payment of clinical negligence claims.

Personal Injury: Compensation

lord hunt of kings heath: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to repeal section 2(4) of the Law Reform (Personal Injuries) Act 1948.

lord bethell: The Department is working with the Ministry of Justice, other Government departments and NHS Resolution, looking at a wide range of options to address the drivers of cost of clinical negligence claims.We will update Parliament in due course.

In Vitro Fertilisation

lord alton of liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Bethell on 5 March (HL1701), why they stated that the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) has no role in the follow-up of patients pursuant to mitochondrial donation treatment if it provides contact details on its website for further discussion of this; what recommendations the Scientific review of the safety and efficacy ofmethods to avoid mitochondrial disease through assisted conception: 2016 update, published in November 2016, made in regard to rigorous long-term follow-up of children born as a result of such techniques; and what assessment they have made of the statement on the HFEA website that those engaging in follow-up to such treatment will be “helping many people affected by mitochondrial disease, now and in the future”.

lord bethell: The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) has no statutory role in following up the clinical outcomes of patients born after mitochondrial donation treatment. However, the HFEA Code of Practice requires any clinic licensed to offer such treatment to have a documented process to enable follow-up, where patients have consented to this. Clinics are also required to report any adverse outcomes following mitochondrial donation treatment to the HFEA.The statement on the HFEA website is addressed to potential patients and explains that follow-up is useful, as doctors want to understand as much as possible about how mitochondrial donation affects children and future generations. This will ensure that children born following mitochondrial donation get the best possible care in the future, as well as contributing to continued understanding of mitochondrial disease. The Government has not made a specific assessment of this statement.The 2016 update recommended follow-up of children born as a result of mitochondrial donation in order to gather information about safety and efficacy.

Drugs: Manufacturing Industries

lord blencathra: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to create facilities in the UK to manufacture drugs currently only manufactured abroad.

lord bethell: The Government has no plans to create facilities in the United Kingdom to manufacture drugs currently only manufactured abroad. There are 16,000 medicines on the market in the UK. Whilst some of these are manufactured in the UK, most are manufactured abroad. Where medicines are manufactured here, the active ingredients and excipients for those medicines may be manufactured abroad. It is not realistic to manufacture all 16,000 medicines and the active ingredients and excipients needed for these medicines in the UK.The production of medicines is complex and highly regulated, and materials and processes must meet rigorous safety and quality standards. Supply problems can affect a wide range of medicines and can arise for various reasons, such as manufacturing issues, problems with the raw ingredients and batch failures. These problems arise regardless of where in the world the manufacture takes place.

Antimicrobials

baroness masham of ilton: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byBaroness Blackwood of North Oxford on 9 September 2019 (HL17756), what steps NHS England and Public Health England are taking to support the appropriate introduction of novel antimicrobial products in the period before the pilot scheme to test an alternative model of antimicrobial provision is concluded.

baroness masham of ilton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what national guidance NHS England and Public Health England provide to clinical commissioning groups and local NHS providers on the introduction of new antimicrobials; and how any such advice supports the UK antimicrobial resistance five-year national action plan.

lord bethell: Work is underway to develop and test an innovative model for the evaluation and purchase of antimicrobials. The United Kingdom continues to promote this project internationally to encourage other countries to test similar models which, together, achieve the right incentives to stimulate investment in antimicrobial research and development.New antimicrobial products not being tested through this project will be purchased and prescribed in line with established practice. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) supports stewardship of current and new antimicrobials through its Managing Common Infections antimicrobial prescribing guidelines for all care settings. NICE also produces Evidence Summaries of the best available information on an antimicrobial to guide decision-making, both nationally within NHS England and locally, for example within a clinical commissioning group, a National Health Service trust, or across a local health economy.The 2019 Voluntary Scheme for Branded Medicines Pricing and Access is designed to help ensure the affordability of branded medicines to the NHS, whilst supporting innovation and improved access to and uptake of cost-effective medicines, including new antimicrobials, for the benefit of patients.

Hospitals: Infectious Diseases

baroness masham of ilton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to combat the reported rise of carbapenem-resistant bacteria in secondary care.

lord bethell: Carbapenemase-producing Enterobacteriaceae (CPE) are carbapenem-resistant infections with the ability to transfer resistance to different bacterial species. Public Health England conducts monitoring and surveillance of these infections and publishes toolkits to support acute and non-acute organisations to prevent and control the spread of CPE.The Government recognises that identifying where carbapenemase-producing Gram-negative infections occur, and acting to prevent them, is essential to maintain the effectiveness of our most important antibiotics. Work is underway to add these infections to the list of notifiable diseases as part of our national action plan for antimicrobial resistance.NHS England and NHS Improvement continue to work to reduce the burden of all healthcare-associated infections and is tasked with delivering the Government’s ambition to halve all healthcare associated Gram-negative blood stream infections by 2023-24.

Department for International Development

Hydrology: International Assistance

lord hunt of chesterton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had, or plan to have, with the World Meteorological Organization and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization about ensuring that their water programmes are coordinated.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: The UK, represented by the UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology (UKCEH) and the Met Office, is actively involved in helping to steer the water related activities of both organizations through its Memberships of the UNESCO Intergovernmental Hydrological Programme (IHP) Council, the WMO Executive Council and the WMO Hydrological Coordination Panel.Within UNESCO, as former Vice-Chairs of the IHP and current Council Members, we are making efforts to influence current planning for the Ninth Phase of the Programme, which is due to commence in 2022. A key area of focus for UK input has been to encourage UNESCO to reach out to partners across the UN-system and more broadly in the planning and implementation of the next phase.In doing so we are encouraging not only coordination through bilateral links and UN-Water, which the UK Government helped establish in 2006, but exploration of the potential benefit of establishing further joint initiatives between organizations in order to provide integrated support to Members’ efforts towards the water related Sustainable Development Goals. This push towards joint working is being replicated in the positions being taken with respect to WMO’s water activities, including their transformation under the Organization’s ongoing reforms.

Department for International Development: Foreign and Commonwealth Office

baroness sheehan: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether theDepartment for International Development (DfID) will remain autonomous,following the announcementin the recent reshuffle thatjunior DfID and Foreign and Commonwealth ministers will havejoint responsibilities.

baroness sugg: The PM appointed separate Secretaries of State for the Foreign Office and DFID in the recent reshuffle.The Prime Minister has also appointed a fully joint junior ministerial team to ensure DFID and the FCO will work more closely overseas to deliver the Government’s objectives.DFID ministers retain authority over decisions on DFID aid spending and accountability for all financial resources remains within existing departmental lines.

Overseas Aid

baroness sheehan: To ask Her Majesty's Government whomakes thefinal decisionon how Official Development Assistanceis disbursed within a country.

baroness sugg: As set out in the UK Aid Strategy, each department or public body spending Official Development Assistance (ODA) is accountable for their own spend. As such, there must be clear lines of accountability for all ODA programmes. Accounting Officers of departments or public bodies whose money is being spent on ODA, need to ensure they fulfil their obligations under HMT’s Managing Public Money as they remain personally accountable for ensuring the regularity, propriety and value for money of the use of public funds. Departments must ensure that spending on ODA is within their legal spending authority, meets the OECD eligibility criteria and complies with government aid policy as outlined in the UK Aid Strategy.

Overseas Aid

baroness sheehan: To ask Her Majesty's Government who has responsibility for (1) programme design, and (2) delivery of, Official Development Assistance compliant projects; and whether that person will continue to have that responsibility.

baroness sugg: Design and delivery of Official Development Assistance projects is the responsibility of the individual spending department.DFID ministers retain authority over decisions on aid spending and accountability for all financial resources remains within existing departmental lines.Departments will work more closely together overseas to deliver Her Majesty’s Government’s objectives and ensure the UK’s international operations are fully integrated.

Department for Education

Skilled Workers

lord touhig: To ask Her Majesty's Government what consideration they have given to introducing industry-wide skills forecasts to enable employers to anticipate workforce gaps and skills mismatches.

baroness berridge: In February the department published labour market projections for the period to 2027. The published report and results outline the future shape and size of the labour market and employment prospects by industry, occupation, qualification level, gender and employment status. The report is attached and is also available at the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/labour-market-and-skills-projections-2017-to-2027. The results will enable employers to anticipate workforce gaps and skills mismatches; training providers to understand skills needs and consider their future provision; and individuals to understand the prospects for different occupations and qualification requirements when making career choices. To further support individuals with their careers decisions, the results are also made available through DfE’s Labour Market Information for All open data service that was a commitment in the department’s careers strategy and is available at the following page: https://www.lmiforall.org.uk/. 



HL2245_ Report
(PDF Document, 2.43 MB)

Department for International Trade

Department for International Trade: Quintessentially

lord macpherson of earl's court: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the Government Procurement Service was consulted on the decision by the Department for International Trade to let a contract with Quintessentially.

viscount younger of leckie: Quintessentially won a competitive tender in May 2016 which was carried out by UK Shared Business Services who at the time managed UK Trade and Investment’s (UKTI) procurement activity. UKTI was a joint, non-ministerial Government Department reporting to the Secretaries of State for the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. The contract was awarded by UK Shared Business Services prior to the formation of the Department for International Trade (DIT). DIT took ownership of the former UKTI’s contracts and does not hold a record of whether the Government Procurement Service were consulted (now referred to as the Crown Commercial Service).

Department for International Trade: Quintessentially

lord macpherson of earl's court: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the Accounting Officer of the Department for International Trade approved the decision by that department to let a contract with Quintessentially; and if so,whether they will publish her reasons for regarding it as value for money.

viscount younger of leckie: Quintessentially won a competitive tender in 2016 which was carried out by UK Shared Business Services, who at the time managed UK Trade and Investment’s (UKTI) procurement activity. UKTI was a joint, non-ministerial Government Department reporting to the Secretaries of State for the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. The services of the contract with Quintessentially include support to the GREAT Investors Programme through the provision of advice, logistical support and background checks, via a sub-contract to support individual investor visits to the UK. The contract was awarded by UK Shared Business Services in May 2016, prior to the formation of the Department for International Trade (DIT). DIT took ownership of UKTI’s contracts on formation.

Trade Promotion

viscount waverley: To ask Her Majesty's Government when they intend to publish (1) each of Her Majesty's trade commissioners' latest annual reports setting out the strategy, objectives and overarching priorities for each delegated region, and (2) the budgets supporting the delivery of those objectives.

viscount younger of leckie: Her Majesty’s Trade Commissioners work as an integral part of the Department for International Trade, which produces its annual report and accounts every June or July.

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Dogs: Meat

baroness fookes: To ask Her Majesty's Government what urgent steps they intend to take explicitly to ban the slaughter of dogs for human consumption in the UK.

lord goldsmith of richmond park: I can assure you that the Government shares the public’s high regard for animal welfare, including the welfare of dogs, and we are committed to making the UK a world leader in protection of animals as we leave the EU. The Government has made wide ranging commitments on animal welfare. The Government is appalled by the prospect of dogs being consumed. However, it is already illegal to sell dog meat for human consumption and the Government has seen no evidence that dog meat is being sold or consumed in this country. We are confident that the current position in this country sends a clear message that the slaughter and consumption of dogs will never be acceptable.

Floods: Earby

lord greaves: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the most recent flooding in Earby; and whether the proposed further flood mitigation work there will take place in time to take advantage of any EUfunding that has been agreed.

lord goldsmith of richmond park: The Government recognises the impact the recent flooding incidents have had on communities and sympathises with those affected. The Earby Flood Alleviation Scheme is split into Phase 2 and Phase 3. Phase 2 of the scheme is currently at the Outline Business Case stage and qualifies for £1.03 million in Flood Defence Grant in Aid. The project has sourced the following partnership funding: £635,000 of European Structural Investment Fund; and £15,000 from Pendle Borough Council. The project team are working with Pendle Borough Council to look for options to address the funding gap to allow the project to progress.

Genetically Modified Organisms: Crops

baroness mcintosh of pickering: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their policy on the regulation of genetically modified organisms (GMO) and, in particular, genome-edited crops; and what plans they have to make regulations to address any potential danger of cross-contamination with non-GMO products.

lord gardiner of kimble: The UK Government takes a science-based approach to genetically modified organism (GMO) policy and regulation. Our view is that genome-edited organisms should not be subject to GMO regulation if the DNA changes could have occurred naturally, or through traditional breeding methods.No genetically modified or genome-edited crops are grown commercially in the UK.The UK Government supports choice for both farmers and consumers. Before any GMO crops are grown here, we will need to put rules in place to segregate production methods and facilitate that choice. These rules will be based on independent scientific advice and they will take the potential for cross-pollination into account.

Forests

the earl of caithness: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the ability of landowners and foresters to be able to plant and grow strands of commercial broadleaved trees which may be affected by pests and diseases.

lord goldsmith of richmond park: The latest Woodland Natural Capital Accounts were published by the Office for National Statistics in February 2020. These classify 85% of woodlands in Great Britain as in a favourable condition for tree health. They also provide information on the number of sites and felling areas under Statutory Plant Health Notices. The UK Plant Health Risk Register contains the details of over 1,000 plant pests and pathogens which have been assessed for their potential to be damaging to the UK. 350 of these are forest pests, 17 of which are considered high priority and are tracked in an annual corporate performance indicator published by the Forestry Commission. Deer, grey squirrels and rabbits can also prevent trees and woodlands establishing and realising their full potential. This information is used by the Forestry Commission to assess applications for new woodlands (for timber production and other purposes). Landowners who do not include a mixture of tree species, suited to site conditions, adequately protected and resilient to known pests and disease threats, will not receive grant aid for woodland creation. In England, grants are available to help owners restock woodlands after felling due to a tree health issue, including where disease has killed ash, a broadleaf species planted for timber production in the past. The Government also works in partnership with others to reduce the negative impacts of squirrels and deer on trees.

Home Office

Travellers: Trespass

baroness whitaker: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answers byBaroness Williams of Trafford on 13 February (HL1230, HL1231, HL1232), why the Equality Impact Assessment was not included in the consultationStrengthening police powers to tackle unauthorised encampments.

baroness williams of trafford: All Government departments have a responsibility to comply with the Public Sector Equality Duty (PSED) under the Equality Act 2010.As such, when formulating any policy changes, Ministers must have due regard to the need to: (1) eliminate discrimination, harassment, victimisation and any other conduct prohibited by or under the Equality Act 2010, (2) advance equality of opportunity between persons who share a relevant protected characteristic and those who do not, and (3) foster good relations between people who share a protected characteristic and those who do not.This ongoing duty has been and will continue to be met. The consultation document has addressed these three limbs of the PSED which are referenced on pages 21 to 22 (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/844954/Unauthorised_Encampments_-_consultation_paper.pdf).

Cabinet Office

Gender

lord lucas: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their policy on the recording of biological sex, legal sex and gender (1) in the 2021 census, (2) when a person’s identity is recorded in connection with a crime, and (3) in a person’s medical records.

lord true: The draft Census (England and Wales) Order 2020 was laid in Parliament on 2 March 2020. It makes provision for the 2021 Census to ask a male/female sex question as in previous censuses. In addition, it is proposed the 2021 Census asks a voluntary question on gender identity for those 16 and over. This follows the Census (Return Particulars and Removal of Penalties) Act 2019 which enables census questions on sexual orientation and gender identity to be asked on a voluntary basis.There is no central guidance for police forces on the recording of sex or gender of persons in connection with a crime.The Personal Demographic Service (responsible for the NHS Number) record contains no clinical information. It holds administrative gender, which is not necessarily the same as clinical gender in some cases.

Treasury

Pay

baroness lister of burtersett: To ask Her Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of the proportion of (1) the male, and (2) the female, working population that earn (a) £25,600 or over, (b) £23,040 to £25,599, and (c) £20,480 to £23,039, per year.

lord agnew of oulton: Estimates of the proportion of the male and female working population by income band are provided in the following table: The proportion of the (1) male, and (2) female working population (employment and/or self-employment income only) in the tax year 2017 to 2018Employment / self-employment income before tax(1) Male(2) Female(a) 25,600 and over19%10%(b) £23,040 to £25,5993%2%(c) £20,480 to £23,0393%2%(d) under £20,48028%33%Total53%47% Source: Survey of Personal Incomes, tax year 2017 to 2018 Notes on the tableThe proportions are for individuals with employment and/or self-employment income and are based only on their employment and/or self-employment income.The tax year 2017 to 2018 is the latest year for which these figures are available.The Survey of Personal Incomes (SPI) is based on a sample of taxpayers.Where income exceeds the threshold for the operation of PAYE (£11,500 for 2017-18), the SPI provides the most comprehensive and accurate official source of data on personal incomes. However, as HMRC do not hold information for all people with personal incomes below the tax threshold, the SPI is not a representative data source for this part of the population.As is the case with the published Personal Incomes Statistics, these figures are statistical estimates and will be subject to sampling variation.

Fuels: Tax Yields

baroness randerson: To ask Her Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of any future revenue deficit due to a decrease in sales of petrol and diesel fuelas a result of an increase in clean energy alternatives; and what plans they have, if any, to compensate for such loss.

lord agnew of oulton: Fuel duty will continue to play an important role in the tax system in the short and medium term. Technology is changing many aspects of the economy, including vehicles, and the Government keeps under active consideration how the tax system will need to adapt to manage these changes.

Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport

Sports: Gender Recognition

lord blencathra: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the participation of those who are transgender in women’s sport.

baroness barran: Sport England collects data on transgender status through its Active Lives surveys, which measure the activity levels of people across England. However, the number of transgender responses received to the survey is so low that the figure is not statistically reliable. Sport England also funded Pride Sports, a UK organisation which helps improve LGBT+ access to sport, to gather information on transgender participation in all sport and physical activity. Pride Sports reported in 2016 that there were very low rates of transgender participation and the report’s findings helped to inform Sport England’s current work on transgender inclusion. The report ‘Sport, Physical Activity and LGBT: A Study by Pride Sports for Sport England’ can be found here: https://sportengland-production-files.s3.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/s3fs-public/pride-sport-sport-physical-activity-and-lgbt-report-2016.pdf#page=1 



SPORT, PHYSICAL ACTIVITY & LGBT
(PDF Document, 3.46 MB)

Public Bodies: Information

lord hunt of kings heath: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to establish a UK National Capability which treats data held by public bodies in the UK as a national asset.

baroness barran: Data is a critical resource for government, which enables more efficient, effective public services. The Public Accounts Committee held an inquiry in the use of data across government in June 2019. Government accepted many of its recommendations in late January 2020. DCMS and Cabinet Office are aiming to write to the Committee to set out our plans for the use of data across government.  While there are no specific plans for establishing a UK National Capability, DCMS is continuing to lead cross-government work to progress the UK's National Data Strategy, so that we can fully and responsibly unlock the power of data, for people and organisations across the UK.  We are not waiting for the strategy to refine our approach to data as a strategic asset. One recent example is the announcement in the March 2020 Budget that HM Land Registry, which holds location data that is important for the government and the economy, will be provided with £392 million to transition from a Trading Fund into part of central government.

Government Departments: Internet

lord hunt of kings heath: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the government of the United States’ Cloud Smart strategy; and what consideration they have given to adopting a similar strategy.

baroness barran: Emerging technologies can enable effective use of data for improving public services. DCMS is continuing to lead cross-government work to progress the UK's National Data Strategy, so that we can fully and responsibly unlock the power of data, for people and organisations across the UK. The Government Digital Service (GDS) conducted extensive user research in August 2019 on the UK's Cloud Strategy which concluded that Cloud First is as relevant to government today as it was when it was introduced, and will remain a flagship technology policy. This research considered international cloud strategies, such as Cloud Smart in the US, but concluded that Cloud First was a better fit for the UK government. This is for a number of reasons, including that many departments consider Cloud First to be a core part of their technology strategy, and that there is a need for government to provide a strong cloud message from the centre to encourage transformation. The user research showed that Cloud Smart was seen as “watering down” the high-level cloud message and many participants considered the name “Cloud Smart” to be confusing.

Internet: Germany

lord hunt of kings heath: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the government of Germany’s GAIA-X strategy; and what consideration they have given to adopting a similar strategy.

baroness barran: Up-to-date infrastructure and governance models are important parts of effective government data use. DCMS is continuing to lead cross-government work to progress the UK's National Data Strategy, so that we can fully and responsibly unlock the power of data, for people and organisations across the UK. The Cabinet Office has recently published guidance for government departments on choosing a cloud strategy, and continues to regularly review similar strategies taken by other countries to assess their relevance for the UK government. DCMS and Cabinet Office are also focused on producing a plan for the use of data across government. Initiatives like Germany’s GAIA-X strategy will be important to consider as my officials continue to develop our policy in this area.

Gambling Act 2005

the lord bishop of st albans: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the answer byBaroness Barran on 5 March that they will review the Gambling Act 2005 with "great urgency", when the (1) terms of reference, (2) call for evidence, and (3) deadlines, of that review will be announced.

baroness barran: The government has committed to review the Gambling Act 2005 to make sure it is fit for the digital age. We will announce further details in due course.

Internet: Harassment

lord taylor of warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have, if any, to introduce cyber-harassment finesfor (1) the media, and (2) members of the public.

baroness barran: The Online Harms White Paper sets out our plans to establish in law a new duty of care on companies towards their users, overseen by an independent regulator.We are also ensuring the criminal law is fit for purpose. The Law Commission is conducting the second phase of its review of abusive and offensive online communications. We expect the Law Commission to produce its final report in early 2021.

Internet: Rural Areas

lord mawson: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to improve internet coverage in rural areas; and to what timescale.

baroness barran: The Government’s manifesto set out its ambition to deliver nationwide gigabit-capable coverage by 2025. The Budget committed £5 billion to support the rollout of gigabit-capable broadband in the most difficult to reach 20% of the country, so that all areas are able to benefit. This builds on existing initiatives such as the Superfast broadband programme and £200 million Rural Gigabit Connectivity programme. We are currently engaging closely with industry, Local Authorities and Devolved Administrations to design this new programme.

Football: Females

lord taylor of warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure women in football receive equal pay to their male counterparts.

baroness barran: It is important that women and men are recognised and paid equally for doing the same work. I welcome the positive step that has been taken to ensure that all companies in Great Britain with more than 250 employees are required to report their gender pay gap to the Government Equalities Office. We know there is some work to do to narrow the gender pay gap across the sport sector. If this is to happen progress must continue to be made in the wider culture of sport to ensure women are treated equally to men at all levels. I am pleased to see Lewes FC paving the way by paying their women’s team the same wages as their men’s team and we hope others can look at how they can reduce gender pay gaps.In order to close the gender pay gap it is also crucial that we provide greater exposure and commercial opportunities. As part of a broader aim to support greater equality of coverage, in September 2019 the government consulted on whether to add women’s equivalents of men’s events currently on the list to both group A and group B categories. The consultation closed on 11 December 2019. The government is now carefully considering the responses in detail and we will respond in due course.